Interim Programs

Winter: Programs are offered during the winter term running for 3-4 weeks in January (or between December and January; consult individual program brochure pages for exact dates.).

May/Summer: Programs are offered during the May session or later in the summer running anywhere from 3-8 weeks (consult individual program brochure pages for exact dates).

All interim courses are credit-bearing and offer either 1 or 2 Lafayette credits (depending on program length and course focuses). Most interim courses fulfill one or more Common Course of Study requirement (i.e. GM1, GM2, LANG, SS, H, NS, etc.). This information can be found on the program brochure pages (linked below in the Programs section). Should there be any discrepancy between the official Banner Catalog and the program brochure page, please contact the Registrar’s Office and/or the Office of International & Off-Campus Education for further information.

Important Dates

Program Information

June/July: Programs for the following academic year are posted around this time. Please see Programs section below for current program offerings.

August: Program costs for relevant programs are posted to the program brochure pages around this time.

Registration

Registration for both winter and May/summer programs is scheduled for early/mid-September (see Important Dates section above for specific information). Registration occurs through the Banner Self-Service system (like registration for any other course) and begins at 7:30am for all students. Students can find step-by-step registration instructions and information here. You can also find further information below in Important Things to Know About Off-Campus Interim Programs.

Important Things to Know About Off-Campus Interim Programs

Please also see step-by-step registration instructions link in the Registration section for further information.

Off-campus interim program registration occurs on the Banner Self-Service system (like registration for any other course). It is a first-come, first-served system and registration opens at 7:30am for all students. Please see the Important Dates section above for this year’s interim registration date.

Students can only register for one program per interim time period (i.e. one winter interim program and one May/summer interim program). Students may not register for one program and join the wait list for another program occurring during the same time period. This means once a student has enrolled in a specific off-campus interim program, they will not have the opportunity to switch into another program.

Students who successfully register online for an off-campus interim program must promptly submit a non-refundable deposit of $500 and a color copy of the identity page of their passport to the Office of International & Off-Campus Education (instructions provided to students via the study abroad portal and e-mail). The deadline for submitting these items is listed above in the Important Dates section.

Successful online registration “holds” a space for a student in a program but it is not confirmation of enrollment. To finalize enrollment students must have a clear disciplinary record (see eligibility page for further information) and submit their $500 non-refundable deposit and a color copy of the identity page of their passport by the deadline stated above in the Important Dates section. No exceptions can be made to this policy and a spot will not be guaranteed unless these requirements are met by the stated deadline.

If a student successfully registers for an off-campus interim program and is no longer able to or interested in participating, they must notify the office in writing by e-mailing studyabroad@lafayette.edu. The deadline to withdraw without financial penalty is stated in the above Important Dates section. Failure to withdraw before this deadline will cause the student to incur any non-recoverable costs that the program places in the student’s name. Students who withdraw before the “withdraw with no penalty” deadline will have their deposit refunded.

If all of the off-campus interim programs that interest a student are closed or full, students should register for that time period’s Interim Abroad Wait List course. You can find more information about registering for the wait list in the above step-by-step registration instructions in the Registration section.

All students who register for the Interim Abroad Wait List will be enrolled in the study abroad portal and will be instructed via e-mail to complete a questionnaire ranking their top two choices of off-campus interim programs in order of preference as well as other information. It is important that students fill out all of the information requested to the best of their ability or else they may not be eligible for wait list selection.

If or when a space becomes available on a program, the Office of International & Off-Campus Education will work to contact an eligible student to see if they are still interested in participating in the program. If interested, the selected student will then enroll via the study abroad portal and will submit the required $500 non-refundable deposit and a color copy of the identity page of their passport. Failure to complete these steps will cause the student to forfeit the space in the program.

Students, parents, etc. should not contact the Office of International & Off-Campus Education to ask where the student is on the wait list. The office will contact the student if or when a space is available to them.

Students who would like to withdraw from an off-campus interim program must withdraw in writing by e-mailing studyabroad@lafayette.edu. Any student who withdraws from a program after the “withdraw with no penalty deadline” (see above Important Dates section for this year’s deadlines) will be charged the $500 non-refundable deposit as well as any other non-recoverable costs that the program has placed in the student’s name (i.e. airfare, hotel, individual shares of group expenses, etc.).

Optional trip cancellation insurance is available. Students may sign up for the trip cancellation insurance up until the day before the program departs. Please see below for further information.

Note that students whose participation in an off-campus interim program is terminated by Lafayette College for reasons of misconduct will receive neither credit nor refund, will be required to return to the United States immediately, and will bear all expenses related to the changes in itinerary.

Lafayette College is committed to trying to maintain the cost of off-campus interim programs to make them as affordable as possible. Costs for off-campus interim programs typically range from $4,800 – 11,000, depending on the program. That amount typically covers tuition, airfare, accommodations, on-site program-related transportation, admission fees to program-sponsored activities, and Lafayette’s overseas health and safety insurance plan. Please see the individual program brochure pages (linked above in the Programs section) for individual program costs.

There is limited funding available for off-campus interim programs. Students who successfully register for an interim program are automatically considered for funding and do not need to apply.

Funding consists of need-based grants that cover up to 75% of the program cost. Factors that are taken into consideration include but are not limited to: applicant’s demonstrated level of financial need, the availability of loans, and previous study abroad/off-campus study experience. Students must be currently receiving financial aid to qualify for a need-based grant. Previous recipients of off-campus interim program financial aid are not eligible to receive further off-campus interim program funding.

Funding notifications are made by the Office of Financial Aid (please see Important Dates section above for further details on timing). Only students who are awarded funding will be notified.

The interim abroad award included as part of the Marquis Scholarships may be applied toward an official off-campus interim program offered by Lafayette College. Marquis scholars are still required to submit the $500 non-refundable deposit upon registering for a program if the cost of the program exceeds the amount of the award (i.e. if the program cost exceeds $4,000). Marquis scholars are responsible for the cost of their passports, visas, and inoculations, any meals not covered in the program cost, any medical costs that may be incurred during the program that are not covered by the Lafayette overseas health and safety insurance plan, and incidentals and personal expenses.

Students enrolled in a Lafayette College off-campus interim program occurring outside the United States are automatically enrolled in the College’s overseas health and safety insurance plan. More information can be found here. Students enrolled in a Lafayette College off-campus interim program occurring within the United States should continue to use whatever health insurance program in which they are already enrolled.

Optional trip cancellation insurance is available for off-campus interim programs. This is an optional service provided by InsureMyTrip and the cost is not included in the program fee. The insurance typically covers the costs of canceling or interrupting a trip for certifiable medical or bereavement reasons. For more information, including plan details, coverage, and pricing, please see www.insuremytrip.com/Lafayette.